


normal extension

by lotts (LottieAnna)



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Accidental-ish Outing, Coming Out, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Fuckbuddies to Just Buddies, Getting Together, M/M, Pining, alcohol use, can you tell the author has feelings about coming out, fuckbuddies with emotional benefits, mentions of Team North America because I miss it desperately, significant conversations happening over meals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-14
Updated: 2017-06-14
Packaged: 2018-11-13 16:08:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11188641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LottieAnna/pseuds/lotts
Summary: The thing with Auston is good, and it will probably always be good, Zach thinks idly. It strikes a good balance: they care enough because they’re bros, but Zach would rather have Dylan, and would rather Auston have Mitch.But for now, they have each other, and it helps, a little bit.





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**Author's Note:**

> IF YOU FOUND THIS THROUGH GOOGLING, KNOW ANYONE MENTIONED IN THIS STORY PERSONALLY, OR ARE MENTIONED YOURSELF: please, please click away. This is a work of fiction and nothing written in this story is true. Any accurate information used in this story is publicly available information about public figures, the rest is made up, 100%.
> 
> Thanks to tots and ftc for being the first people to lend their eyes and opinions to this fic, and I love them whether or not they beta my stuff, but I appreciate their hard work always <3 
> 
> This fic sprung forth from my desire to explore the pre-NHL friendship of these two players who are pretty popular in fic, and pretty close friends, but never appear in works together. This is a Werenski/Larkin fic with background Matthews/Marner, but it sort of centers around the Werenski+Matthews friendship-with-previous-benefits. I dunno, you'll see when you read it. 
> 
> Fudged the timelines! Some things are accurate (Dylan did score in their first game against each other, and the reunion was incredibly hyped up. 200 friends and family came to watch Zach!) and some are not (pretty much every other game, honestly? And Zach's ability to get to Ann Arbor during the season)
> 
> This was another fic I wrote instead of studying for finals, so thank abstract algebra for the title! Spoiler-y trigger warnings in the endnotes, alongside bonus content, of course!

 

The first night of World Juniors, Zach drags Auston back to his hotel room, kicks out his roommate, and blows him.

It’s fast, which is nice, because while Zach loves sucking dick, he doesn’t love having a sore jaw. Afterwards, he turns to Auston and asks, “Did you get any weird European STDs in Zurich?”

Auston smirks and shakes his head. “No one on Grindr there speaks English, so.”

Zach blinks at him. “So you haven’t gotten your dick wet at all this season?”

“Nope,” Auston says, unashamed.

It’s not that that’s particularly weird. Zach’s at college, which means there are guys everywhere, all the time, but before that it’d really just been Auston. Meeting guys is more of a hassle than it’s worth, usually.

“Sucks,” Zach says.

“Eh,” Auston says. “I’m playing hockey, and they don’t make me go to class, so. I’m fine with it. What about you, any weird Michigan STDs?”

“No, fuck you,” Zach says.

“I mean, if you want,” Auston says, smiling.  

* * *

The Auston thing has been happening for a while, and it’s a good thing, Zach thinks. It started in Michigan, when they’d gotten high and ended up making out in Zach’s basement, and Auston hadn’t like, punched him. Zach hadn’t been expecting him to, but he’d kind of worried about it anyway.

“You’re hot,” Zach had said, and Auston had giggled the way he only does when he’s high.

“You’re hot too,” he’d said, and they kept making out.

They didn’t tell anyone, which was mostly normal, except not telling anyone included not telling Dylan, and that was weird for Zach.

Dylan still doesn’t know, as far as Zach can tell. Zach’s never officially come out to anyone the way he sees on TV, where he sits them down and makes a big announcement and people cry and hug him and tell him it’s okay. He doesn’t really want to bother with that. Brad knows, because he’d told him when he was like, 12, and he’d had Brad talk to his parents on his behalf. And Auston knows, obviously, and so does anyone else he’s ever messed around with.

It’s been so long that Zach doesn’t really know how to tell Dylan. He feels like it’s so out of his depth– he’s spent so long not telling Dylan that he can’t really just bring it up casually. They’d lived together for a year, and Zach had spent so long maneuvering his hookups around Dylan that he knows it counts as a lie, even if it is technically an omission.

Dylan’s not at UMich anymore, though, and all of a sudden, it’s an open secret. A teammate sees him making out with another dude one night and gives him a nod and a thumbs up, and Zach freezes for a second. Then, his teammate smiles and waggles his eyebrows, and Zach goes right back to making out.

His new roommate– who’s not Dylan, but is alright– has seen guys leave Zach’s room, breathless, red-faced, hickeys on their necks, and doesn’t comment.

No one’s saying anything, but nothing’s actually changing. He thinks the guys aren’t talking about it behind his back, because it’s probably not all that interesting. It’s college, and it’s 2017, and it’s probably not cool to be, like, openly homophobic. Mostly, the topic is left alone.

Zach fucks guys at school, he fucks Auston when he’s around, and everyone’s okay with it. He’s half-out of the closet, and he knows he should, like, actually set the record straight on what the deal is, because he’s going to be in the NHL at some point, hopefully, and was drafted high enough that people are watching him with mild interest.

He should find out what Auston’s doing, because he has even more press to deal with, considering he’s probably going first overall. They don’t really talk all that much about serious stuff, though, so it probably won’t happen.

* * *

_Dylan: whats the deal with matthews?_

Zach stares at the message for a few minutes, wondering why on earth Dylan would be asking him about Auston Matthews. As far as Dylan knows, Auston’s the kid from USNTDP who leaves weird chirps on Zach’s Instagram pictures and a future Toronto Maple Leaf, and has never had Zach’s dick up his ass.

_Zach: what do u mean_

_Dylan: were playing on team na together, and it’s been a while since i’ve seen him play. u played with him @ wjc right?_

Zach breathes out a sigh of relief.

_Zach: yah he’s really good_

_Zach: funny guy too_

Dylan sends him a bunch of thumbs up, and Zach locks his phone, unsure of why he’s shaking slightly.

* * *

Zach doesn’t realize how out of the closet he was until he’s back in.

The NHL is so much different from the NCAA, in ways he hadn’t expected, and he wants desperately to talk to someone about it. It’s like he made it all the way to the show to take three steps backwards, and it fucking sucks.

He wants to text Dylan about it, but that would require coming out, so instead, he lies, and sends a message about how hard it is to pick up girls in the NHL. Which, like, is definitely not true, but Zach doesn’t think he’s gonna be called out on it.

Dylan responds a few minutes later.

_Dylan: not my experience but idk_

_Dylan: not wheeling much these days_

_Zach: ???_

_Dylan: idk i’ve been dating this girl?_

_Zach: oh cool_

He types out his response before he fully processes the message, his fingers feeling heavier as he types it, and he’s almost numb when he hits send, and he realizes that he wants to, like, throw up. Dylan is dating someone, which hasn’t really been a thing in the past, but it is now, and Zach feels sick to his stomach.

He doesn’t actually vomit, but he cries, quietly, so his roommates don’t hear. There was a part of him that sort of realized he’s always been a little bit in love with Dylan, but the quiet longing of a lifelong friendship is nothing compared to this. This is sharp, it stings, hits Zach in a part of his heart that he wishes he could lock away.

Dylan can’t possibly know what he’s doing to Zach, but Zach is kind of mad at him anyway, so he ignores his next text. He thinks about why Dylan doesn’t know, why he’s never let himself face the reality of a world where Dylan could ask himself, _what if._ He’s kept this so guarded for so long, from himself, even, because everything with Dylan is intense and fragile and he can’t, he just can’t put himself through that.

Instead, he stops crying and texts Auston, asking if he wants to play CoD.

Soon, he’s settled into the beanbag chair in his room and chirping Auston for how much he genuinely, truly sucks at this game.  When they’re not talking about the game, they just shoot the shit, and Zach eventually brings up the Dylan situation.

“Larks is dating someone,” he says.

“Oh,” Auston says. “You two are pretty close.”

“Yeah,” Zach says.

“So, you’re– this isn’t good news.”

“I mean, it’s great for them, but.”

Auston makes a sympathetic noise on the other end. “That sucks.” Zach is thankful that Auston doesn’t need full sentences to really get it. It’s probably because they’re kind of weirdly similar, sometimes.

“He doesn’t know about me.”

“He doesn’t?” Auston says, sounding surprised.

“Nah,” Zach says. “It’s– I’d have to actually tell him, you know?”

“Ah,” Auston says, and then, “you should.”

“How?” Zach says, and this is the closest they’ve ever come to, like, talking about their feelings, but he figures it doesn’t count as a heart-to-heart if they’re nominally playing a video game.

“I dunno. How do you usually tell people?”

“I don’t,” Zach says. “I let them figure it out for themselves.”

“Alright, well, you can just mention it to him. I dunno, invite him over for a beer, talk about it for five seconds. He’s not gonna be an asshole.”

“He could,” Zach says.

“He spent the entire World Cup talking about you guys at UMich. If he hates gay stuff, he’ll get over it.”

Zach really hates how calm Auston sounds when he says that, considering the things it’s making Zach’s stomach do.

“What if he thinks I’m hitting on him?” Zach asks.

“Aren’t you?” Auston says, and it takes Zach a second to realize that he’s joking. Because he’s apparently an asshole.

“He has a _girlfriend,_ ” Zach says, kind of sputtering.

“I’m just messing with you, man,” Auston says. “Telling him is a good idea, though.”

“Maybe,” Zach says.

* * *

Dylan texts him a few days later that they broke up, and Zach jokes about the two of them hitting the town and finding him a rebound.

They don’t talk about dating that much. Dylan’s never seen Zach pick up, obviously, and Zach thinks that Dylan doesn’t pick up in front of him because of that. It’s never really come up, so post-breakup Dylan is new friendship territory for them. Dylan doesn’t seem too torn up, though, which makes Zach happier than it should.

They play each other in December, and everyone who’s ever known them shows up to watch Zach look on helplessly from the penalty box as Dylan scores the Red Wings’ only goal.

Zach doesn’t get on the scoresheet, but Columbus wins, so he’s not too upset about it.

Their reunion is pretty hyped up, which makes Zach feel kind of weird, but it’s also kind of cool. Still, it makes it hard for them to meet up privately afterwards, when they’re at a bar surrounded by family and friends, and it eats at Zach, getting to be near Dylan, and even talk to Dylan, for the whole night, but not getting to actually have time with Dylan the way he wants to.

He misses him, Zach realizes, which is kind of dumb– of course he misses Dylan, they lived together and now they can’t even get a second of alone time, and Zach has a curfew, and he wants to have one real, genuine, private conversation with Dylan before he has to get back to the hotel.

“Hey,” Dylan says. “We should chill after this.”

“Curfew,” Zach says, raising an eyebrow, and he’s maybe a little bit annoyed.

“Sneak me in,” Dylan says, as if it were obvious, and then he gives Zach a soft smile, and Zach immediately stops feeling anything but fond.

“Alright,” Zach says. “When can we get out of here?”

“Probably soon,” Dylan says.

Zach’s thought about coming out to Dylan tonight. He would feel better doing it in-person, and their face-to-face time is so limited. In the end, though, Zach sneaks Dylan into his hotel room, and they sit down on the floor, their backs against the bed and gameday suits still on, and Zach looks over, and…

He can’t do it.

Tonight, he tells himself, is a night for nostalgia, for pretending that it’s not weird to have to savor this time together. Right now he can’t feel any distance between them, and instead just leans his head on Dylan’s shoulder as they talk about hockey, and their families, and the Joe, and other stuff they know how to talk about.

It’s hard, suddenly, so hard to not be around Dylan, now that Zach realizes, and he just– he wants one easy night.

* * *

The thing is, Zach and Auston are still fucking.

Neither of them has anyone else during the season, and Zach’s busy pining after his best friend, and Auston, from what Zach can gather, has some weird thing for Mitch Marner, which Zach personally doesn’t get. Marner’s kind of annoying, and can’t chirp for shit, but he sees the way they talk to each other on the bench, and his heart kind of breaks for Auston, because that can’t be easy.

They don’t talk about it, though.

It’s nice to not talk but be understood, which is probably the reason they’re still doing this at all– Auston’s an old friend, at this point, and Zach appreciates what they do for each other. After games, they can drink silently side-by-side, then go up to each other’s hotel rooms and get off, and it’s a sort of tradition in its own right.

The thing with Auston is good, and it will probably always be good, Zach thinks idly. It strikes a good balance: they care enough because they’re bros, but Zach would rather have Dylan, and would rather Auston have Mitch.

But for now, they have each other, and it helps, a little bit.

* * *

Toronto plays Detroit at the Joe, and Zach’s back at UMich for the weekend.

He doesn’t make it to the game, but he does tell Dylan he’s in town, so Dylan comes to Ann Arbor afterwards, and they hit up a kegster, because it’s technically Zach’s first alumni visit.

It’s fun, between starstruck underclassmen and old teammates. He and Dylan drink beer and talk about hockey, and maybe brag to some of the freshmen about the stuff they got up to. It’s a rite of passage for when alumni return, and Dylan’s gotten to do this a few times, but Zach hasn’t, really.

“This is more fun with you,” Dylan says, and Zach, for a second, forgets about how awful it feels, most of the time, wanting Dylan, and is just thankful to have him here.

“It’s fun to be here,” Zach says. “With you.”

He smiles, and Dylan smiles back.

“Hyman!” he hears someone say, and he turns around, and there, indeed, is Zach Hyman, and, Zach realizes, Auston and Mitch too.

“Hey,” Zach says to all of them, but mostly to Auston. “What’re you guys doing here?”

“We were in town, and Hyman heard you guys were around,” Auston says.

“I wanted to go to a real frat party,” Mitch adds, and Zach finds himself scrutinizing, trying to see what he did to make Auston so caught up in him.

“Well, welcome,” Zach says. “Beer’s shit, though.”

“I wouldn’t expect any less,” Mitch says, and he sounds heartfelt.

Zach smirks a bit, then catches Auston’s eye.

The Leafs group heads off so Hyman can show them around, and Zach turns back to Dylan. “Jeez, soon half the league will show up,” Dylan says.

“Alumni, man, always ruining parties by bringing professional hockey players,” Zach says, and Dylan snorts at that.

It’s not until later that things start to get weird.

Everyone’s really, really drunk, and the house has emptied out, and Dylan’s wandered off somewhere– Zach thinks he might be staying the night, which makes him happy to think about.

He’s walking around the house when he sees Mitch Marner leaning against a wall, talking to some girl, and it’s definitely a thing, and then he sees Auston standing next to Hyman across the room, blatantly staring, and the look on his face is so unguarded and so pained.

Zach starts to make his way over to Auston to distract him, or something, but Auston notices him first, and nods at him to meet him in the next room.

“Hey,” Zach starts, unsure of what to say.

“Yeah,” Auston says, because they’re too drunk to even pretend they don’t both know exactly what’s going on.

“I can’t find Dylan,” Zach says.

“He’ll find you at some point,” Auston says, and he just looks so sad.

“Do you guys not have a curfew?”

“Doesn’t matter, I guess. Missed it anyway.”

“Brave move,” Zach says.

Auston only shrugs. “Hey, do you wanna– you know.”

Zach blinks at him. “Yeah, sure,” he says. Being back here reminds him of being kinda-out, like he was once Dylan left. He’s staying in the room of a guy who’s staying at his girlfriend’s, and it’s a single, so it’s not like they’re gonna get caught, even if it’s more public than they usually are.

It’s not a big deal making their way back to the room, or getting their clothes off, and Zach knows that when Auston needs a distraction, he likes to suck dick. So Zach sits on the edge of the bed, and Auston kneels on the ground.

They’re pretty much experts at this now, after so many years of learning each other’s bodies, and Auston could normally get Zach off quickly, but he’s really drunk, and Auston seems to be taking his time anyway.

Fifteen minutes later, Auston’s still going at it, and Zach probably won’t come, but he doesn’t really care, he’s content to let this keep going.

“Hey, Z, are you–” Dylan’s voice says, and Auston and Zach both freeze as Dylan walks into the room. “Oh,” he says, then promptly turns around and walks out.

Auston and Zach exchange a look, and Zach’s about to say something when Dylan’s muffled voice comes through the door. “I was gonna stay here tonight, so someone gave me a key. Uh, Matthews, Hyman and Marner were looking for you.”

“Thanks,” Auston says, and his face is red, and as much as this situation is Zach’s worst nightmare, he has to crack a smile at that.

“Sorry,” Zach says, once they both have their clothes on.

“Same here,” Auston says.

They fistbump, and Auston heads out, nearly colliding with Dylan, who’s apparently been waiting right by the door this whole time.

Dylan walks into the room and stares at Zach for a bit. Zach is still sitting on the bed, and he feels like he’s about to be, like, scolded.

“I’m gay,” Zach says, and belatedly realizes that’s the first time he’s said that word out loud.

“You’re gay,” Dylan repeats. “Yeah, that– that makes sense.”

“I’m sorry,” Zach says.

“What for?” Dylan asks, and he sounds genuinely confused.

“Just– I wanted to tell you,” Zach says. “I just hate telling people.”

“So people know,” Dylan says.

“I guess? It’s– again, I don’t know who knows what, I don’t tell people.” After a beat, he says, “Auston knows.”

“I figured,” Dylan says, smiling at him a bit.

“Listen, man, we can talk more about this in the morning, but I’m really fucking drunk,” Zach says. “I’m gonna crash, aight?”

“Okay,” Dylan says, and Zach carelessly strips down to his boxers and crawls into bed.

He wonders if Dylan’s going to try to find another room to sleep in, or if he’s going to crash on the floor here, but as Zach’s falling asleep, he feels the bed shift, and instinctively scooches over to make room for Dylan.

* * *

Zach wakes up the next morning, hungover as fuck, in Dylan’s arms.

They did live together, so it’s not weird, for a second, but then he remembers that Dylan had seen him getting his dick sucked by Auston Matthews last night, so he tries to quietly pry himself from Dylan’s insistent grip.  

Sleep-Dylan isn’t having it, though, so Zach sighs and falls back asleep for a few more hours.

The next time he wakes up, he’s alone and substantially less hungover, and Dylan’s walking into their room.

“Oh, sorry,” Dylan says, and Zach realizes he’s coming back from a workout or something, by the looks of how sweaty he is. “Didn’t want to wake you up.”

“It’s cool,” Zach says, and tries not to stare at the way Dylan’s shirt clings to his chest.

“I’m gonna shower. Did you wanna, like, get brunch?”

They’ve been friends for long enough that Zach knows that means, _do you want to talk about this when we have bacon between us._  

“Sure,” he says, because he might as well.

As Dylan showers, Zach scrolls through his phone. There are a bunch of texts from the previous night, which he doesn’t bother reading, a text from Dylan saying he’s going to the gym, and a text from Auston that just says _yo,_  which, in Auston-speak, means “SOS.”

 _Hey,_ Zach texts back, and when he doesn’t hear back, he assumes they’re already on the plane back to Toronto.

Dylan comes back from the shower, and Zach goes to brush his teeth to avoid having to watch him dry off.

They take an Uber to the diner, and it feels like a ridiculous luxury to Zach, even with an NHL contract. There’s no wait once they get there, though, so it’s not long before they’re settled into a fairly private booth in the back corner.

Dylan at least has the decency to wait until they have food in front of them before he says, “So, you and Matthews.”

Zach doesn’t spit out his coffee, but it’s a near thing.

“Jesus, we’re– it’s not exactly public knowledge,” he says, looking around to make sure no one heard them. Thankfully, all the tables near them are empty, and none of the other patrons are looking at them.

“Alright,” Dylan says, quietly this time. “But you hooked up with him?”

“We’ve been– it’s happened a few times,” Zach says.

“How many?” Dylan asks.

“I don’t keep count,” Zach says, rolling his eyes. “On and off for, like, a few years.”

“A few _years?_ ” Dylan’s eyes kind of bug out, and it looks pretty funny, Zach thinks. Under different circumstances he would chirp him for it.

“It’s not a big deal,” Zach says.

“It kind of is, but alright,” Dylan says. “So is he, like, your boyfriend?”

“Nope,” says Zach. “It’s just a thing. Like, I’ve–” he starts, but then he stops, not wanting to tell Dylan that he spent most of his last year at UMich having anonyous gay sex. “We’re not exclusive, or even, like, dating.”

“So it’s just hooking up,” Dylan says, and Zach furrows his brow at that.

“I mean, we’re also, like, buddies. But it’s not, like, a thing-thing.”

“Buddies who hook up is enough of a thing,” Dylan says, and it sounds like an accusation.

“Don’t be weird. You’re just jealous that I fucked the first overall,” Zach says, and Dylan looks hilariously scandalized for a second, before choking out a shocked laugh.

“Jesus,” he says. “Is this how all of your coming out brunches go?”

“I came out last night, this is just normal brunch.”

“Whatever,” Dylan says. “So he’s not your boyfriend.”

“God, no,” Zach says. “I think he likes someone.”

“Oh. And you’re, like, fine with that?”

Zach shrugs. “I mean, yeah. It’d be annoying, but he’s a good dude. It’d be nice to see him happy, and shit.”

“You’re so sweet,” Dylan says, and Zach kicks him under the table.

His phone buzzes, and then buzzes again, and when Zach checks, it’s two texts from Auston.

_Auston: just touched down in toronto_

_Auston: do straight guys normally like sharing beds? asking 4 a friend_

Zach looks up and sees Dylan giving him a confused look from across the table.

_Zach: fuck if i know_

_Zach: on the same note, larks is here_

_Auston: i feel like i should tell him sorry_

_Auston: but i also feel like he should say it too_

“Is that him?” Dylan says.

“Yeah,” Zach says. “He says you owe him an apology.”

“Sorry, Matthews,” Dylan says at Zach’s phone. “What’s up with him?”

“Y’know, gay shit,” Zach says, stealing a french fry off of Dylan’s plate.

“You have your own food, you know,” Dylan says, and Zach just shrugs, grinning.

* * *

_Dylan: is there something between matthews and marner_

Zach looks down at his phone and blinks.

_Zach: what makes u say that_

_Dylan: idk got a vibe_

_Zach: we’re playing them next weekend, ill tell u if i notice anything_

Dylan:  

* * *

There is definitely something weird going on with Mitch.

Zach is watching for it, so maybe it’s more obvious to him than it would be to other people, but every time he looks over at Mitch, either he’s staring at Auston, or Auston’s staring at him, and they’re not talking to each other, like, at all. Which is pretty weird, considering Mitch’s favorite hobby, from what Zach can tell, seems to be bothering Auston.

Thankfully, Auston’s the one who brings it up after the game, because Zach doesn’t even know how to start broaching the subject.

“Mitch is being weird,” Auston says. “He kissed me.”

“He kissed you?” Zach says, a little offended that this is the first time he’s heard about this. “When?”

“Like, a week and a half ago,” says Auston.

“Dude,” Zach says. “Does that mean–”

“I don’t even know, alright? He knows about me, and he kissed me, and he hasn’t spoken to me since, so I guess that means he’s not interested.”

‘That’s dumb.”

Auston shrugs. “I mean, if he wants to talk about it, he’s gotta be the one to bring it up, right?”

“Uh, no,” Zach says. “That’s so stupid.”

“What?” Auston asks, looking a little surprised.

“That’s bullshit, man. If you guys aren’t talking about it, that’s on both of you.”

“I guess, but– I dunno. It won’t end well once we do.”

“As opposed to how great things are with you guys right now?” Zach says, raising an eyebrow.

Auston sighs. “I guess you’re right.”

“Duh,” Zach says. “Come on, man, you have a chance here.”

“Do I?” Auston says.

“Yes. Stop being an idiot. Text him or something, alright?”

“Right now?”

“If you don’t, I’m gonna steal your phone.”

Auston snorts, but pulls out his phone. Mitch texts back quickly, which Zach expected, and Auston leaves to find him.

* * *

“Dude, are you even allowed to tell me this?” Dylan says to Zach over FaceTime as Zach drives to practice.

They’ve been FaceTiming more since Zach came out, and Zach hadn’t realized just how little they’d spoken this season. It’s like a distance he didn’t know had grown between them was being closed, and it’s good, because Dylan’s his actual best friend again, not just his best friend by default.

Maybe it’s silly to be this excited to have his best friend back, but whatever.

“I mean, you asked me, I’m just filling you in. You’re not telling anyone, right?” Zach says.

“Obviously not,” Dylan says.

“Then it’s fine. But yeah, Marner kissed him, and that’s why they were being so weird.”

“So does Marner, like, like him?”

“I don’t know, he hasn’t told me yet. But isn’t that, like, classic?”

“I guess,” Dylan says. “And you’re– you’re not sad?”

“Why would I be sad?” Zach asks, confused.

“I don’t know. You two have your thing.”

“I told you, it’s not like that. He’s my bro, and I’m happy for him. He’s been into Marner forever.”

“Seriously?” Dylan asks.

“Yeah, I don’t see it. But they’d be cute together, or whatever.”

“I guess, yeah,” Dylan says. “Did you guys officially break up?”

“We weren’t dating,” Zach says, turning into the parking lot.

“But you guys should still talk about it.”

“It’s fine. That’s not really how things work for us.”

“I don’t understand you two, man,” Dylan says.

“It’s because you’re straight,” Zach says as he parks his car. “We operate on different levels.” He opens the door of the car, and takes his phone with him as he walks to his trunk and grabs his bag.

“No, you guys are just weird.”

“Whatever. I gotta go.”

“See you,” Dylan says, and Zach ends the call. When he looks up, he sees Anderson a few cars down.

“Hey,” Zach says.

“Hi,” Anderson replies. “Who was that?”

“Larks,” Zach says. “He was bothering me about my personal life.”

“There’s stuff going on in your personal life?” Anderson looks vaguely surprised.

Zach shrugs. “Not really. I was hooking up with my friend, but now they might have a boyfriend, so he’s telling me that we have to, like, officially break up.”

“Oh,” Anderson says. “Since when do you hook up?”

“I mean– it’s been a thing for a while.” Zach doesn’t talk about himself to his teammates as a rule, but being able to talk about it with Dylan recently has been really awesome, and he kind of wants that with the other guys on the team. Still, this is new territory for him.

“How’d you meet her?” Anderson asks.

“Uh– him,” Zach says.

Anderson’s eyebrows go up in surprise. “Oh, I didn’t realize.”

“Didn’t expect you to,” Zach says. “It’s not– keep it on the down low, for now.”

“Got it,” Anderson says. “You know guys won’t give you shit, right?”

Zach shrugs. “Maybe,” he says. “But, like– I dunno. I don’t really feel like it.”

“Well, thanks for telling me,” Anderson says.

“It’s no big deal,” Zach says, even if it maybe is.

* * *

“Dylan thinks we should break up,” Zach says to Auston while they’re playing CoD.

“I– what?”

“I think he didn’t believe me when I told him we’re not dating.”

“What do you mean?” Auston asks.

“Like– I’m pretty sure he thinks that we’re, like, pining?” Zach says.

Auston’s quiet for a second. “Uh, are you?”

“No,” Zach says. “I mean, no offense, but–”

“Yeah, no, it’s not–” Auston starts

“Not really us,” Zach finishes.

“I mean– apparently, uh, Mitch wants to give it a shot, or something, so– we probably shouldn’t hook up anymore.”

“Probably not.”

“End of an era, though,” Auston says.

“All good things, right?” Zach says. “Sorry that Larks walked in last time we hooked up, though.”

“S’alright. Thanks for being there for me, buddy.”

“Sound straighter, I dare you.”

“This is probably the straightest gay breakup ever,” Auston says. “Or, not a breakup, but, you know.”

“No worries. Let me know when I have to give Marner a shovel talk, though.”

“Please don’t,” Auston says. “I think he’s scared of you.”

“Really?” Zach says. “Good. Does he know we–”

“He asked about it. I mean, he asked where I was that night in Michigan, and I was sort of vague, so I think he figured it out.”

“Oh, good,” Zach says.

“You should talk to Dylan, you know,” Auston says.

Zach snorts. “Yeah, right. You’re just saying that because you have a boyfriend.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Auston says. “I’m serious, it’s– you made me text Mitch, so I’m telling you to talk to Dylan.”

“It’s hardly the same,” Zach points out.

“Fine, but talking is never a bad idea,” Auston points out.

Zach sighs. “I guess,” he says. “You’re good at advice. Bad at video games, but good at advice.”

“Fuck off,” Auston says, and Zach can hear him smile.

* * *

"So, I, uh, like you," Zach says. 

Dylan's eyes grow wide. “You like me,” he repeats, sounding a little shocked. Zach, for his part, feels weirdly calm.

“Yeah, for a while, now,” Zach says. “I don’t– I understand, you’re straight, and it’s not gonna happen, but I thought I should, uh. Let myself move on.”

They’re in Ann Arbor, and Zach feels kind of bad that he hasn’t told any of the guys that he’s visiting, but they’re there because Zach wanted to be at his favorite burger place while he got his heart broken by his best friend. Getting an early start on the comfort-food-binge-eating part of it all.

“Oh,” Dylan says. “I don’t know what to say.”

Zach looks down, and it hurts a little to say, “You should– tell me no, I guess, once and for all.”

Dylan furrows his brow. “Are you sure?”

“If you are, then yeah, I’m sure,” Zach says.

It’s silent for a bit, and then Dylan says, “Can I, like, have a few days to think this over?”

“Uh, sure?” Zach says. He wants to say no, because really, he’s spent long enough pining, but whatever. If Dylan needs time to let him down, Zach can give him that.

“Okay,” Dylan says. “I’m– I’m not sure, I mean.”

“You’re not,” Zach says flatly.

“Would you be?” Dylan asks, and Zach shrugs, ignoring the annoying flare of hope in his chest.

* * *

_Zach: he didn’t say no_

_Auston: told u so_

_Zach: didn’t say yes either_

_Auston: still, better this way_

_Zach: i guess_

_Auston: good luck_

_Zach: thx_

_Zach: tell mitch i say hi_

_Auston: i did_

_Zach: are you with him right now_

_Auston: maybe_

_Zach: i really hope you’re not texting me during sex_

_Auston: no that would be rude_

_Auston: we finished_

_Zach: well_

_Zach: have fun u kids, if there are any broken hearts i’ll break ur face_

_Auston: whatta shovel talk_

* * *

“Alright, so,” Dylan says over FaceTime, “how does this work?”

“How does what work?” Zach asks.

“Like– like, do you want to just, like, hook up?”

“What? No, I told you, I like you,” Zach says.

“Then what?” Dylan says.

“Are you– are you seriously considering it?” Zach asks, and he’s surprised.

Dylan rolls his eyes. “Duh. I told you, I was gonna think about it.”

“I didn’t realize that meant, like, actually think about it.”

“Well, you should’ve,” Dylan says. “So, what do you, like, want?”

“Anything,” Zach says truthfully.

“Because I don’t really want to just hook up, you know? It’d be weird,” Dylan says. “Like, I don’t– I don’t think I don’t want to hook up with you, but it’s– I’ve thought about it, and stuff. But like, I also don’t know how to date a guy, I guess?”

“I mean,” Zach says. “I don’t either.”

“Okay, but like– I don’t want to try it just to break up with you because it turns out that’s not what I want, you know?”

“Yeah,” Zach says. “I mean– it’s up to you. I’m down with, like, anything.”

“Anything?” Dylan says.

Zach nods, and he’s shaking, he realizes.

“Can we try, then?” Dylan says.

“Try,” Zach repeats, and his entire world shifts a bit.

“I just– I mean, it doesn’t seem fair to not, you know?”

“It’s not unfair to me if–”

“Not just to you,” Dylan says. “To us.”

“Alright,” Zach says, and he can’t tell if his voice is steady or not. “We’ll try, then.”

“Cool,” Dylan says, and he smiles. “I, uh, if you want to?”

“Duh,” Zach says, and he smiles too.

* * *

_Zach: we’re “trying”_

_Auston: told u_

_Auston: mitch told me to tell you to get it in_

_Zach: flip him off for me_

_Auston: will do_

* * *

Dylan cooks him dinner, and kisses him before dessert.

“Sorry dinner wasn’t good,” Dylan says.

“You made up for it,” Zach says, touching his lips.

“We could still have dessert.”

“Whatever you want.”

“I think I’d rather do this,” Dylan says, then pulls Zach in for another kiss.

“God, you’re cheesy,” Zach says, and Dylan laughs in his mouth.

It’s a pretty good first date.

* * *

“I’m like, all in on this,” Dylan says after their second date.

“What do you mean?” Zach says.

“Like– like, dating you. Boyfriends. All that kind of stuff.”

“That was fast.”

“I mean–” Dylan says. “I don’t know. I like, really like you.”

“You do?” Zach says, and he smiles despite himself. He probably looks like a loser, but whatever, Dylan really likes him, apparently.

“Yeah,” Dylan says, and he puts his arm around Zach’s shoulder.

“We haven’t even had sex yet,” Zach says.

Dylan shrugs. “I’m sure it’ll be good.”

“And if it’s not?” Zach says.

“We’ll practice. I don’t know,” Dylan says. “It’ll be good, I bet.”

“Do you even know how to have gay sex?” Zach asks.

“You do,” Dylan points out. “You’ve had a lot of it, apparently.”

“Where’d you hear that?” Zach asks.

“I asked around, some of the guys on the team talked about it,” Dylan says. “Dude.”

“It was college,” Zach says defensively. “A time for experimentation.”

“Any others?” Dylan asks. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want, I guess.”

“Just Auston,” Zach says.

“Right, him,” Dylan says. “I still don’t believe you never liked him.”

“I liked him plenty. Still do,” Zach says. “Just didn’t want to date him. He’s my buddy, y’know?”

“But you want to date me?” Dylan asks.

“Oh, yeah, totally,” Zach says.

“Sweet,” Dylan says. “We should, uh, keep doing that.”

“Sure thing,” Zach says.

“Like, right now, in my bedroom,” Dylan says. “You know, do that thing people do when they’re dating.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Zach says, smiling at Dylan and standing up.

“Sex, I’m talking about sex,” Dylan says, also standing.

“Oh, then yeah, let’s,” Zach says. “Dunno if you’ve heard, but I give really good head.”

“Really,” Dylan says, and they’re still bantering, but Zach hears him gulp. It’s pretty satisfying. “You should show me, then.”

“Of course,” Zach says, and they pretty much book it down the hall to Dylan’s bedroom.

* * *

Turns out that Dylan also gives pretty good head.

Or– it’s not, like, technically the best blowjob he’s ever gotten, but considering it’s from Dylan, it kind of is.

Dylan’s kind of amazing.

* * *

_Zach: came out to the rest of the team today_

_Zach: in the gc but_

_Auston: dude nice_

_Auston: both of you?_

_Zach: some of them know i have a bf_

_Zach: they don’t know who though_

_Auston: lol u gonna tell em?_

_Zach: nah it’s more fun to make them guess_

_Auston: who do they think_

_Zach: mostly larks tbh_

_Auston: then what’s the point_

_Zach: gotta stay mysterious_

_Auston: fair_

_Auston: i have a question_

_Zach: shoot_

_Auston: was larks with u when u messaged them_

_Auston: did you make him type out the message_

_Zach: well_

_Zach: maybe_

_Auston: lol of course_

_Zach: go fuck urself_

_Auston: i know u 2 well_

_Zach: h8 u_

_Auston: nah we’re bestfriends_

_Zach: alright fair_  

* * *

“Hey,” Auston says, and on his other side is Mitch Marner.

“Hi, man,” Zach says, going in to hug Auston. “And hey, Marns.”

“‘sup?” Marner says, giving him a head nod.

“Y’know, took a puck to the face and I still look like crap,” Zach says.

“It’s not that bad,” Auston says. “Kinda badass.”

Marner gives him a shove. “Stop flirting,” he says, then gives Zach a glare that Zach thinks is supposed to be intimidating.

“Don’t be weird, I’m just telling my buddy that his bruises aren’t the worst,” Auston says, and he’s smiling, so he figures Marner being jealous isn’t, like, a problem.

“I appreciate it, man,” Zach says.

“When’s Larks getting here?” Auston asks.

Zach shrugs as Marner says, “I think he’s walking in right now.”

Zach turns around, and sure enough, that’s Dylan, and his face probably lights up when he sees him, but whatever. He’s like, probably in love with him, so.

‘“Hey,” Dylan says, wrapping Zach in a hug.

“Hi there,” Zach says, and Dylan kisses him on the cheek.

“You’re right, I’m not jealous of him anymore,” Zach hears Marner say, and he hears Auston laugh in response.

“Hey guys,” Dylan says, turning to Marner and Auston. “What’s up?”

“You know, just assuring Z that he’s handsome as ever,” Auston says.

Dylan turns to him and pouts. “That’s my job,” he says, and Zach laughs.

“Don’t worry, as long as you’re still willing to kiss me when I look this ugly, I’m fine,” Zach says.

“Not ugly,” Dylan says, leaning in to kiss Zach.

When they pull apart, Marner is crinkling his nose. “They’re worse than we are.”

“Never,” Zach says, and he and Dylan sit down.

They talk about offseason plans and League gossip for the rest of the night, and it's a pretty solid double date, in Zach's opinion.

After they’ve said their goodbyes to Auston and Marner, Dylan turns to Zach and says, “That was nice.”

“Yeah,” Zach says. “Told you.”

“I thought it’d be weird,” Dylan says.

“Why?” Zach asks. “Because we used to hook up?”

Dylan shrugs. “I mean, it’s not like I’m jealous, really,” he says. “It was normal.”

“Told you, it’s all chill. He has his boy, and I have you.”

“Yeah, you do,” Dylan says, and gives Zach the sappiest smile imaginable.

“Dork,” Zach says, leaning in to kiss him.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger Warnings:  
> -A character is outed when his friend walks in on him engaged in a sexual act with another man. He was planning on coming out to his friend in the near future, and is ultimately just mildly embarrassed by the incident.  
> -If there is anything you feel should be tagged, please please please let me know! 
> 
> Bonus Stuff:  
> -#PutTheWerenskiMatthewsFriendshipIntoFic2k17  
> -Coming out is so hard, y'all. Like, so hard. Sorry all my fics are about it, but it's also what I spend half my life doing?  
> -Dylan legitimately doesn't understand how Zach and Auston can be so casual. Mitch doesn't either. They're both convinced that one of them has been secretly pining after the other.  
> -Also, Dylan in this is such a fucking sap, man. Y'all don't see the worst of it but he's so excited to be the boyfriend to his best friend. Zach is too, obviously, but he expresses it differently  
> -“Do you even know how to have gay sex?” yeah Zach pretend like that wasn't the first thing he Googled after you told him you liked him. You know damn well he did his research.  
> -Auston firmly believes that Dylan's liked Zach in an incredibly repressed but very real way since they played together at the World Cup.  
> -What happened with Mitch at that party that had Auston sending Zach vague texts about bedsharing straight boys: he got very drunk and kind of lonely and ranted to Zach H. for like an hour as they searched all over UMich for Auston, and once they found him, Mitch gave Auston a huge hug. He then said that Auston was "the best guy he could ever have as a friend" and asked him to share a bed because he wanted to be close to him. Then he fell asleep on Auston's shoulder on the plane. Auston listened to a lot of music about being in love to process it all.  
> -Auston and Mitch getting together: Auston came out to Mitch a few days after that UMich party, and then Mitch thought about kissing Auston for the next week. Then, Mitch kissed Auston, and when Auston didn't know what to say, Mitch didn't either. When Auston texted him, Mitch was actually about to do the same! They had a long talk about their concerns and then Mitch was like "okay in all honesty I like, do want to date you, even if it would be kind of complicated" and Auston was like "oh okay" and then they made out a lot. There were 5 days where they were "ambiguously giving it a shot," and then Mitch was like, "dude, just be my boyfriend" and Auston was like "aight" and bought Mitch 3 boxes of chocolate and made him 8 playlists full of Frank Sinatra songs about being in love all while trying and failing to seem low-key.  
> -I haven't been on the UMich campus since I toured it as a prospective student (there's an alternate timeline where I went there and overlapped a year with these two), though I was in Ann Arbor last August. The place where they have brunch is modeled after the place I had brunch, but I can't remember what that place is. But it's real! They had good Eggs Benedict!  
> -How awesome does that frat party sound though! I want to party with Dylan and Zach W. and Auston and Mitch and Zach H.  
> -Mitch is bi in this, by (bi) the way! Like, he realizes he likes Auston, thinks about it for a bit, then is like, "Oh, you know what, you're so right I've definitely been into dudes for a while, yeah, this all makes sense now." He and Auston tell all the Leafs as soon as they start dating. They're kind of obvious, though.  
> -Dylan tells his teammates a week after Zach tells his, because Zach wants to let his teammates stew about the identity of his boyfriend. Dylan has no such aspirations, and gleefully talks about Zach all the time to everyone. They're all happy for them, though!
> 
> Come talk to me on [tumblr!](https://lottswrites.tumblr.com/)


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